27 lose homes in Rasville fire

A fire, suspected to be arson, last week Monday gutted a two-storey apartment building at Rasville in Georgetown, destroying the homes of 27 people, including children, and causing millions in losses.

Petal (only name given), who holds the power of attorney for the owner of the building, told Stabroek News that the fired started at around 3am in one of the apartments.

The charred remains of the Rasville apartment building that was gutted by an early morning fire last week. (Keno George photo)

Petal, who lives in a house nearby, expressed her disappointment at the response of the Guyana Fire Service. She said firefighters from the Central Fire Station did not arrive until a half of an hour after she contacted them and they only turned up with a small amount of water. However, she said, the firefighters eventually got water from a nearby trench.

Petal said she is still awaiting the official report from the fire service on the cause of the blaze.

The occupants of the building have since sought refuge at family and friends.